L-Stepholidine, a naturally occurring dopamine D1 receptor agonist and D2 receptor antagonist, attenuates heroin self-administration and cue-induced reinstatement in rats

Neuroreport. 2014 Jan 8;25(1):7-11. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000012.

Abstract

Opiate addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by persistent and uncontrolled drug-seeking behavior despite negative effects. L-Stepholidine (L-SPD) is an alkaloid extract of the Chinese herb Stephania intermedia with dopamine D1 receptor partial agonistic and D2 receptor antagonistic dual actions. The unique pharmacological profile of L-SPD suggests that L-SPD may be effective for the treatment of opiate addiction. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of L-SPD on heroin self-administration on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule and cue-induced reinstatement under an extinction/reinstatement protocol. The effect of L-SPD on the locomotor activity of heroin-free rats was also tested. We found that 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg of L-SPD attenuated heroin self-administration and cue-induced reinstatement without affecting locomotor activity. These results showed that L-SPD, which has dual actions on dopamine D1 and D2 receptors, attenuates heroin self-administration and cue-induced reinstatement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Berberine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Berberine / pharmacology
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects*
  • Cues
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists*
  • Extinction, Psychological / drug effects
  • Heroin / administration & dosage*
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Narcotics / administration & dosage*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1 / agonists
  • Reinforcement, Psychology
  • Self Administration

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Dopamine Antagonists
  • Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists
  • Narcotics
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1
  • Berberine
  • stepholidine
  • Heroin